In a display of silence, the John of God Brothers headquarters, based in Rome, did not open the door to Marylands survivor Darryl Smith. Smith, a long-time voice for sexual abuse survivors, was sexually abused as a child while at John of God Brothers residential schools in both New Zealand and Australia. Pleased that finally Read more
In a significant move, the NZ Catholic bishops are promoting open and informed life discussion through a modernised and broadened document, Te Kahu o te Ora – A Consistent Ethic of Life. The modernisation seeks to fill a twenty-six-year gap and reflect some of the modern challenges. Dr John Kleinsman, director of the NZ Catholic Read more
Women priests are unlikely to become a reality in the Catholic Church during his lifetime, says retired Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin. Martin (78) also discussed clergy sexual abuse and policies of the Church, including the ban on condoms during the AIDS crisis. “I’d be very worried about consultations, which lead to frustrated expectations which Read more
A man who suffered sexual abuse as a child at the hands of the Brothers of St John of God is upset. Darryl Smith (pictured) was one of dozens of boys who suffered “extreme abuse and neglect” at Marylands School. Complaints show the school’s abusive reign ran from 1955 to the late 1980s. Now 59, Read more
Focusing on his own spiritual journey, Hemi Ropata SM says that despite the sexual abuse crisis, people are generally supportive of his exploring a priestly vocation. Addressing a gathering of Auckland Catholic Young Adults, Ropata shared that there is always a question that ‘kind of hangs in the air’, why do you want to join Read more
Annie Hill, an artist and advocate for sexual abuse survivors, wants her artwork removed from the prestigious Wallace Collection after its founder, Sir James Wallace, was found guilty of indecently assaulting three men. Hill is a survivor of sexual abuse by Fr Michael Shirres and told RNZ she has been re-traumatised by Wallace’s naming. In Read more
The Vatican is inviting New Zealanders to give public feedback to The Vatican’s Child Protection Commission on the Church safeguarding principles. Aimed at creating updated diocesan guidelines, the move opens up the consultation process, historically limited to bishops and church leaders, to a broader base of stakeholders. To collect the feedback, the commission has established Read more
With the seemingly endless stream of Australian royal commissions taking place, about to take place or called for, the ethical and cultural leadership practices of both government and non-government organisations are well and truly in the spotlight of public scrutiny. And rightly so. People make decisions to behave unethically and destructively, but they do so Read more
Pope Francis has issued definitive rules for handling abuse complaints in a final version of the 2019 document, Vos Estis Lux Mundi. The definitive rules of Vos Estis, which take effect in May, add to the original document on several specific points: Along with complaints of abuse by clerics and religious, the policies are also Read more
The findings of a second report into the activities of L’Arche founder Jean Vanier are even worse than the initial report. While the first report found Vanier perverted Catholic doctrine about Jesus and Mary to justify his own sexual compulsions and abuse women, a subsequent report discovered an even worse side to the great man. Read more